Holcomb Observatory Remote Observing Policy

The telescope located at Holcomb Observatory on the Butler University campus is valued at more than 1 million dollars not including the surrounding structure and instrumentation.  With the most recent overhaul of the telescope it has become a much more valuable outreach, educational, and research tool that can be remotely operated from anywhere on Earth.  This latest overhaul was primarily funded via a grant through the Silicon Valley Community Foundation with the help of Dr. Frank Levinson.  As was laid out in the funding request, the intention of the refurbished telescope was to allow the telescope to become a more efficient outreach, educational, and research tool for Butler University students and faculty.  Though remote observing is becoming more common it still has its inherent liabilities to the university and dangers to the instrument.  Therefore, it is important that the stated policy within this document be adhered to when remote observing with the Holcomb telescope. The policy items listed here have been jointly approved by the Observatory Director and the Dean of LAS at Butler University.

Remote Observing Guidelines for Butler Students and Faculty

  • In the spirit and practice of complying with the grant funding sources cited above, only Butler University faculty, students, and staff are permitted to operate telescope and cameras remotely.
  • All student or faculty observers must be approved by the director of the observatory prior to their first remote observing session.
  • All observers must be properly trained by the appropriate faculty personnel.
  • Before operating the telescope remotely, it is expected that all potential remote observers have thoroughly read the operation manual.
  • All security issues such as keys, usernames, passwords, and IP addresses cannot be given out to anyone without the consent of the observatory director.
  • All student observers must have a faculty member on call at all times if they are using the telescope.
  • If a faculty member is observing at a location they cannot get to the observatory within 30 minutes, they must have an on-campus student on call to assist if there is an emergency.
  • The remote observer is not to interfere with any class or public outreach activities at the observatory.   They must check the observatory schedule in advance and have the “all clear” from the onsite student docent or faculty member before they can commence any remote observing.   This also applies to using the Telescope and Camera servers.
  • Individual non-Butler onlookers/viewers, who have a terminal degree equivalent to a PhD, must be approved by the observatory director before they are given onlooker/viewing privileges to view the remote observing.
  • If approved by the observatory director, non-Butler personnel can only be onlookers/viewers to the observing.  A Butler faculty member must be at the telescope (i.e., in front of their remote display) at all times, operating the telescope and cameras during the observing.
  • Non-Butler personnel are not meant to be conducting remote observations but to have “View Only” and “File Transfer” privileges to allow for collaboration.   This allows non-Butler personnel to observe the data acquisition and transfer the data to their home institution for processing without creating a security or liability risk for Butler University.

Telescope Operational Parameters

  • The dome is never to be opened or should be closed if:
    • Humidity exceeds 85%;
    • Temperature is below 15F (-8C); or
    • The Boltwood Cloud Sensor reads Rain or Very Cloudy.
  • The lower hinged dropout of the dome is not to be lowered unless the remote observer has someone physically present at the observatory.
  • The telescope is never to be slewed below 15 degrees of altitude.
  • The telescope is never to be slewed beyond +/- 6 hours of hour angle.
  • The telescope is never to be slewed beyond +80N or -30S degrees of declination.
  • The telescope is never to be pointed at the Sun, even if the dome is closed.

Upon completion of remote observing:

  • The telescope is to be stowed at Zenith;
  • The dome is to be closed and parked at 180 degrees of azimuth;
  • The dome lights are to be turned on;
  • The eyepiece is to be re-centered;
  • The focus is to be put near 92,000;
  • The FLI CCD temperature is to be set at +30C;
  • The mirror covers are to be closed; and
  • The observing report should be filled out.

Failure to follow these policy guidelines will result in remote observing privileges being revoked.